Therapy Models

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a form of therapy derived from CBT which incorporates six core processes aimed at increasing psychological flexibility and decreasing struggles against unwanted thoughts, feelings and other internal experiences. By focusing on values-guided behaviour and introducing mindfulness, compassion and acceptance strategies to maintain focus in the present moment, ACT allows individuals to identify and move towards what really matters in life, even in the presence of unwanted thoughts, feelings and experiences.

Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT)

Compassion Focused Therapy focuses on the core attributes of compassion and self-kindness. It can feel very unfamiliar to speak to oneself in a compassionate way and this approach is therefore helpful when individuals are particularly self-critical, anxious and experiencing anger and shame. CFT centres around three core emotional regulation systems (threat, drive and self-soothing) and the interaction between them, helping individuals to identify and respond to the active components in each system. CFT teaches skills to improve identification of negative self-judgement and criticism and replaces it with openness, compassion and acceptance of flaws, struggles and failures as all part of a shared, human experience.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy focuses on the link between thoughts, feelings, body sensations and behaviour. It uses behavioural strategies to attempt to challenge or shift beliefs which may be contributing to maintenance cycles of maladaptive or problematic behaviours. CBT can help to identify common negative thought patterns and teach ways to challenge and overcome these thoughts and any unhelpful associations related to them.

Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy builds upon CBT, focusing on cognitive components of human experience but additionally incorporating mindfulness and meditative practices originating from Eastern teachings. Mindfulness helps individuals to identify when their mind is excessively focused on the past (“if only….”) or the future (“what if…”) and promotes a return to the present moment via the teaching of both informal and formal meditative, grounding and focused awareness strategies.